New ‘Harry Potter’ Is a Holocaust Allegory

Critics agree: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince—in which the offspring of mixed marriages between wizards and non-magical folk are tarred as “mudbloods”—is an allegory about racism with parallels in Sonia Sotomayor’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Barack Obama’s recent trip to Ghana. Oh, and the Holocaust. The Los Angeles Jewish Journal has some interviews it conducted with Potter producer David Heyman (who also produced Holocaust drama The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) to bring home the point. “Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, are obsessed with the preservation of blood purity,” he says. “They’re not Nazis but they recall the politics and attitudes of Nazi Germany. And aesthetically—although it’s a cliché—the [Death Eater] Lucius Malfoy and his family are blond, like Hitler’s ideal of the quintessential Aryan.” Well, you see what you look for: Christianity Today reminds readers that “many see Harry, though far from perfect, as something of a Christ figure, while his nemesis, the Dark Lord Voldemort, clearly represents The Devil himself.”

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Just so you know, it’s not the mix of wizards and muggles who make “mudbloods;” it’s children who are born with powers even though there is no magic in their bloodlines. Magic and non-magic make a “half-blood.”

Gina Mariesays:

November 12, 2010 - 11:33 pm

I was surprised to see so many people write that the books are a waste of time or intended entirely for children. Yes, the realm of magic part might not seem new in turns of the fantasy genre, but ultimately, the subject matter in the books is very mature. Rowling finds an innovative way to address racism in a way that is accessible to children, those who were born with magic and those who were not. The characters that cannot rationalize that people who cannot perform magic are still valuable and entitled to respect, are the evil ones. They are moved by hate and power. Rowling also introduces political agendas and corruption to the realm of children’s literature. Harry is not perfect, Ron and Hermione have different qualities that foil his. However, he shows that even as a new addition to the magic community, his moral compass lets him know what actions need to be taken to fight injustice. There is a clear connection between the political and racial situation in the books to Germany and the Holocaust. Harry’s final act of self-sacrifice seems to be motivated by the same surprising optimism as that of Anne Frank.
“That’s the difficulty in these times: ideals, dreams, and cherished hopes rise within us, only to meet the horrible truth and be shattered. It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet, I keep them, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.
Anne Frank (1929 – 1945)”
Whether or not, the movies survive or depict the story accurately, I’m not sure. But it is undeniable that Rowling has written great literature.

Jamessays:

March 15, 2011 - 7:04 pm

I think the fact that Voldamort came from a muggle and a witch and hitler came from a jewish person and not a jewish person is significant as well. Both tried to wipe out the part of themselves they saw as inferior and no one questioned hitlers or voldomort’s parentage (other then Harry & dumbledore of course).

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